1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dispensing-tube and cap holder which is mounted on the side of an aerosol can for holding a dispensing-tube and more particularly to a dispensing-tube and cap holder which is for use with an aerosol can which requires a dispensing-tube to be fitted to its valve.
2.Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,221,950, entitled Aerosol Dispenser, issued to William R. O'Donnell on Dec. 7, 1965, teaches an aerosol dispenser which includes, in combination, a pressurized container and an actuator cap. The pressurized container has a valved outlet passage. The actuator cap is movably carried by the pressurized container and has a discharge passage communicating with the valved outlet passage. The actuator cap is movable toward the pressurized container to open the valved outlet passage valve to effect a discharge and is movable in a direction away from the pressurized container to halt the discharge. An elongated tubular L-shaped nozzle member is carried by the upper portion of the actuator cap. The member communicates with the discharge passage of the actuator cap. A mechanism pivotally mounts the nozzle member on the upper portion of the actuator cap for movement between a retracted position extending downward, closely adjacent and alongside the actuator cap and the pressurized container and an extended position extending laterally of the actuator cap and the pressurized container. The nozzle member includes a straight exposed portion whose length is commensurate with the combined effective lengths of the actuator cap and the pressurized container. The actuator cap and the pressurized container have commensurate outside diameters. A projection extends laterally from the bottom of the pressurized container to be engaged by the distal end of the spout to prevent downward movement thereof.
In the past, aerosol products have commonly been packed in a disposable pressurized can having an aerosol valve in one end of the can. In order to assist with the application of some aerosol products which are required to be placed in difficult situations with some degree of accuracy, the supplier of these aerosol products provide a small bore dispensing-tube commonly of flexible plastics material which may have one end inserted into the outlet of the aerosol valve so that the aerosol product may be applied through the dispensing-tube. Such dispensing-tubes have been fastened to the aerosol can for sale by way of adhesive tape which has the disadvantages that it is slow to package and therefore uneconomical and furthermore does not provide a convenient way of retaining the dispensing-tube with the aerosol can once the dispensing-tube has been used for a first time. In order to overcome this disadvantage, some suppliers provide a retainer which is molded into the upright side of a cap for an aerosol container so that the dispensing-tube may be held in the retainer when not in use. Such caps have been of a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the aerosol can so that the dispensing-tube may be fixed in an upright position on the outer periphery of the cap and extend down the side of the can when packed. This arrangement has the disadvantage that a comparatively large cap must be provided of the same diameter as the diameter of the can, which is uneconomical to manufacture due to the comparatively large amount of plastics material which must be used in the manufacture of the cap. Smaller caps which engage with the upstanding flange surrounding the aerosol cap have been used to reduce the amount of plastics material required but such caps have not been suitable for the mounting of a dispensing-tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,951, entitled Aerosol Cap, issued to Roy B. Facey on June 4, 1985, teaches a cap for an aerosol container which has a transverse groove in its top for retaining therein a dispensing-tube. The cap for an aerosol container includes an annular wall which is open at its bottom end and closed at its upper end by a top wall which is perpendicular to the annular wall. The top wall has a diametric transverse groove which is formed integral with the top wall and is adapted to releasably retain a dispensing-tube in a lowermost portion thereof. The groove is open at each end and has a substantially semi-circular cross-section at the lowermost half thereof and substantially parallel straight sides at the uppermost half thereof integral with the top wall so as to be open at the top. The groove further has protuberances along the inner faces of the parallel sides adjacent the upper most portion of the sides at spaced locations along the inner faces thereof for frictionally embracing and releasably retaining the dispensing-tube in the groove. The cap for an aerosol container also includes a plurality of radially directed lugs at spaced portions along the inner periphery of the annular wall at the lowermost portion thereof for engaging and releasably securing the cap to the top end of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,641, entitled Actuator for Dispensing Pump, issued to Herbert G. Lehmann on Oct. 4, 1966, teaches a stationary cap for use in a hand-held dispenser. The stationary cap includes a mechanism for mounting it on a container neck, a depress button which is movable in the cap between extended and retracted positions, a spout member which is movably carried by the depress button and shiftable thereon between extended and retracted positions, mechanism on the depress button, establishing communication between the container and spout, and an automatic cooperable locking mechanism on the spout and button, the means being responsive to movement of the spout member on the button and being automatically rendered operative by positioning the spout member in its retracted position and positively preventing movement of the button to its retracted position on the cap when the spout member is in the retracted position. The mechanism for releasing the depress button for movement when the spout member is in its extended position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,220, entitled Pressurized Container with Cap Having Suspension Means for Display Purposes, issued to Harold Osrow on Feb. 18, 1969, teaches the combination of a pressurized container of substantial weight and a closure cap for the container, which closure is adapted to be hung from a horizontally elongated display hanger. The closure is an overcap having an open bottom which is removably engageable with the top of the container. Tamper-proof means securely affixes the closure to the container. The closure further includes a bail-type suspension integral with and extending upwardly from the top wall of the closure. The force required to separate to closure from the container is greater than the weight of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,591, entitled Cap Having a Removable Wiping Blade, issued to P. Gach on May 15, 1973, teaches a cap for a fluid dispensing container having a body and flange members on the body for holding the cap adjacent to a dispensing area of the container is disclosed. An elongate slot in the body removably retains a resilient blade member for wiping a liquid dispensed from the container of off the surface onto which it is dispensed. A cleat on the body carries the blade member in a storage position when the blade is not in use.